In the early 2000s Denis Kang was one of the top MMA fighters in the world with wins over Minoru Suzuki, Murilo 'Ninja' Rua, Akihiro Gono and Marvin Eastman. In this interview, Denis opens up about: The mindset shift that took him to a 22-fight undefeated streak... How he dealt with the death of his fiance while competing for the biggest MMA organisation in the world... How … [Read more...]
Denis Kang
How Has MMA Training Changed Since the First UFCs?
I was honoured to talk MMA with Denis Kang, an MMA pioneer with 55 fights in organisations ranging from Pride FC to the UFC. In this conversation, we covered how fighting off the wall, sparring with small gloves, and doing more sparring and less conditioning before a fight has changed MMA training. How Has MMA Training Changed Since the First UFCs? - Audio Only This conversation was also … [Read more...]
A Powerful Choke from Knee on Belly
Knee on belly (also known as Kneemount) is a super-dominant position in jiu-jitsu. If you're using this position correctly then you're driving down into your opponent with all your weight, making it hard for him to breathe, and forcing him to give you openings for submissions (click here to read 3 Ways to Get a Really Heavy Kneemount on Grapplearts). Most typically the guy on the bottom of … [Read more...]
How to do the Heel Hook (and How to Train it Safely)
The heel hook is one of the most devastating leglocks you can apply! Instead of attacking the big muscles of the leg (like the quads, hamstrings, or glutes) the heel hook targets the small ligaments of the knee and the ankle. This means that you can really screw up someone's leg if you apply it in anger. The heel hook is banned in most clubs and illegal in almost all gi tournaments. But … [Read more...]
What’s the Right Stance for MMA?
In MMA you see fighters using a variety of stances. Some crouch, some stand upright, some look like wrestlers, others look like kick boxers. And sometimes you see stances straight out of Karate, Capoeira, and Kung Fu... Given all these options how can fighters choose what'll work best for them? Or, in simple terms, what's the best stance for MMA? Of course the answer is never so simple. … [Read more...]
How to do the Reverse Butterfly Sweep
I talk a lot about the butterfly guard around here; it's one of my very favourite guard positions. It's powerful, it's mobile, and it's fun. There's no doubt that the workhorse of the butterfly guard is the 'basic' butterfly sweep. It's a tool that newcomers to jiu-jitsu can learn quickly, but is still being used by the top BJJ competitors on the planet. Now there's a move called the … [Read more...]
How To Do The Lapel-Based Brabo Choke in the Gi
From our very first day on the mat we're taught to pass the guard before attacking with a submission. Pass... Establish position... And only then try to submit! So when a technique like the gi-based Brabo choke comes along it seems very counterinintuitive. Because in it you stay in his half guard, you don't try to pass, and you still attack with a choke. Every rule - including the primacy … [Read more...]
The 2 Easiest Takedowns for No Gi Submission Grappling and MMA
Just because you didn't wrestle in High School or do 10 years of Judo doesn't mean that you always need to pull guard! In this 5 minute Youtube video Denis Kang and I riff about the the simplest, easiest takedowns for No Gi. Denis is a BJJ black belt and has fought in Japanese Pride, the UFC, and ADCC, so his credentials are impeccable. And me? I just like to find the easiest ways to do … [Read more...]
The Simplest Mount Escape for MMA and BJJ?
In BJJ the Mount is one of the very worst positions you can be in. And if punches are flying in either an MMA or a self defense context then things are much, much worse. The truth is that if you find yourself mounted in a fight then you screwed up a long time ago. Your opponent is either more lucky or more skillful than you. That being said, if you have good mount escape techniques it IS … [Read more...]
Arm Behind the Back Guard Pass
Getting a handle, or a grip, on your opponent in MMA is not always easy. Here Denis uses an unusual grip both to control his opponent and remove one of his potential weapons from the equation. … [Read more...]
Passing the Guard in MMA
by Denis Kang and Stephan Kesting Originally published in Grappling Magazine, October 2005 Denis Kang knows all about passing the guard in mixed martial arts competition. He has fought in Japan and throughout North America, and has passed the guards of many good fighters, including Minoru Suzuki, Keith Rockel and Stephan Potvin. He knows that passing the guard is one of the hardest things to … [Read more...]
Technique 2: Reverse Shoulder Lock
Marcus and Denis demonstrate the reverse shoulder lock. (1) Marcus starts out with Denis in his guard using a basic sleeve and lapel grip (2) He puts his left foot on the hip and his right foot on his opponent's bicep (3) He steps over Denis's head with his right foot (4) Putting a lot of pressure on his opponent's shoulder he hooks his instep under Denis's right … [Read more...]
Technique 1: the Reverse Clock Choke
A demonstration of the Reverse Clock Choke against the Turtle Position by Denis Kang and Marcus Soares … [Read more...]
Marcus Soares technique 3: Half Guard Pass and Cervical Choke
Marcus Soares and Denis Kang demonstrate a Half Guard Pass and a Cervical Choke. (1) To avoid getting swept in Denis Kang's half-guard, Marcus keeps Denis flat on his back and pins his face with his shoulder. One arm (left) hooks his head and grips the collar, and the other comes through Denis's legs and grips his belt. (2) By kicking his trapped leg backwards and keeping his weight … [Read more...]
Marcus Soares – Kimura from Open Guard
Marcus Soares demonstrates the Kimura from the Open Guard Photo 1 - This time your opponent is standing in your open guard and trying to pass it. Start with a sleeve and lapel grip, with one foot pushing your opponent's hip and the other hooking behind his knee. Keep your opponent bent over to limit his ability to move or mount an offence. Photo 2 - If your opponent grips your knee then you … [Read more...]
Marcus Soares – Kimura from Mount
Here's how the Kimura can help you transition from the Closed Guard, to the Mount, and then to your opponent tapping out. Photo 1 - If your opponent is quick he may be able to counter your Kimura from the guard by posting his foot and grabbing his pants. You may be able to simply rip his grip free from his gi pants if you are stronger or he is sloppy, but the following is a more elegant … [Read more...]
Jiu-Jitsu Cross-Training for NHB: A Denis Kang Profile
by Stephan Kesting Originally published in Grappling Magazine, September 2003 Denis Kang debuted in Grappling Magazine after his Pancrase match against the very experienced Minoru Suzuki in Japan. … [Read more...]
Get Up, Stand Up!
Why getting off the ground is a critical skills in grappling! (originally published in Black Belt Magazine) When mixed martial arts competition exploded in North America, martial artists quickly learned that most fights end up on the ground. And for years the prevailing wisdom was that groundfighting was inevitable, and if a fight went to the ground it would most likely stay there. In the … [Read more...]
Three Great Bodyweight Conditioning Routines for BJJ
It's January and all the gyms are packed with newly-inspired fitness junkies. But you can't always get to a gym, and sometimes the weather makes it tough to go for a run. The beauty of bodyweight, however, means that you can work out almost anywhere. … [Read more...]
Podcast EP3: Erik Paulson; an MMA Master Coach Shares His Secrets
Erik Paulson is an MMA Master Coach. He's trained tons of fighters competing at the highest levels of Mixed Martial Arts. And he held the Shooto light-heavyweight title in Japan for 5 years. He's also my friend and a mentor. Click Play Below to Listen to My Conversation with Erik Paulson... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx7gT-EXohM Recently I asked my newsletter readers if there was … [Read more...]